Food & Spirits Magazine #14 | Page 28

The lemon tart at V. Mertz is truly an edible work of art. “The dessert courses outshined nearly every other dessert I’ve tasted in any restaurant,” said Baking and Pastry student Cathy Curtis. “The passionfruit sorbet was a sharp pop of sour and sweet, and the grilled pineapple brought a lovely bright flavor to the dish as well.” Of the second dessert, Curtis went on to say, “The lemon tart was my favorite, with delightful thyme short dough, topped with a tangy barrel of lemon curd, and a white chocolate, liquid-centered lemon truffle on the side. As the citrusy, sweet liquid melted into the white chocolate, the flavor experience was divine.” Overall, every member of Tri-Omega present was impressed with both the service they received and the phenomenal food. Chef Seymour and the entire staff created a dining experience that more than met the expectations of the Supper Club. Chef Seymour’s ability to infuse unique and exciting combinations into single bites is astounding and unparalleled. “I thought that the menu flowed very well together,” said Tri-Omega President, Jason Volkmer. “As each course came, it progressively got better in terms of presentation and complexity. Everything was well balanced. Service was superb, wine parings were well done and staff was very knowledgeable about [them].” Biographies Cathy Curtis – Baking and Pastry Student As a member of the school’s culinary competition team, Cathy seeks and relishes food that is both delicious and beautiful, and anticipates each shared meal with Supper Club as part of that pursuit. Ashley Muth – Spring 2013 Baking and Pastry Certificate Recipient Having a lifelong love of all things sweet, Ashley developed a palate – and love – for food. She further developed both palate and love for baking while living in San Francisco, frequenting great 28 restaurants and bakeries. After moving to Omaha, she enrolled in the Baking and Pastry certificate program and is currently a pastry cook at a local restaurant. Caitrin Shirazi – Baking and Pastry Student Caitrin is a recent University of Nebraska at Omaha graduate and first-year culinary student working towards degrees in Culinary Arts: Baking and Pastry and Restaurant Management. Caitrin heard the culinary call 11 years ago when she was hired as a kitchen assistant at the age of 15, and has filled various roles in the industry ever since. Angela Thomas – Baking and Pastry Student Angela grew up in Montana and now enjoys her time exploring Omaha and attending classes at Metropolitan Community College, where she is working towards an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and Management: Baking and Pastry. Pat Ratigan – Culinary Arts Student Pat is a second-year student in the culinary arts program and, while still relatively new to the industry, has been a serious food lover for many years. Jason Volkmer – Culinary Arts Student Jason is a second-year student in the culinary arts program, and the kitchen supervisor at an upscale local hotel. Omega Omega Omega (Tri-Omega) is the culinary student organization at the Institute for Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College. Supper Club is one of many programs they are building and sharing, along with Road Scholar trips, Symposium Trofí book clubs, pop-up restaurant projects, and much more. Their mission is to provide opportunities to engage each other, the community and the hospitality industry in order to grow as cooks, bakers, managers and citizens.